California Rheumatology Alliance

What California Rheumatology Alliance does

California Rheumatology Alliance (CRA) is a California-based, non-profit professional physician association founded in 2004 that represents rheumatologists and other rheumatology health professionals practicing in the state. The organization self-describes as California's largest rheumatology organization, and the majority of its membership comes from the Northern California Rheumatology Society (NCRS) and Southern California Rheumatology Society (SCRS), with membership also extended to nurse practitioners, physician assistants, RNs, pharmacists, and practice managers working in rheumatology. CRA is headquartered at 5230 Pacific Concourse Drive, Suite 100, Los Angeles, and operates with a small staff of 1-10 employees under Executive Director Shanna Castro and President Samy Metyas, MD.

CRA's core offerings are membership services, educational programming, and legislative advocacy rather than technology products. Its products include a tiered membership program (Regular Member at $50/year, Associate Member at $25/year, complimentary Fellow Member), an Annual Scientific Meeting (the 20th edition celebrated in 2024 in San Francisco), an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Meeting, an annual Advocacy in Action Summit in Sacramento, and ongoing legislative newsletters covering California policy on prior authorization, step therapy, copay accumulators, biologic access, biosimilars, and network adequacy. The organization runs no software platform; member authentication is handled through a third-party Circle portal.

CRA's revenue model combines individual membership dues with a multi-tiered corporate sponsorship program from pharmaceutical partners (Diamond through Bronze tiers). Diamond Partners include AbbVie, UCB, Sanofi-Genzyme, and Genentech (Roche); Platinum is Johnson & Johnson; Gold is Pfizer; Silver is Novartis; and Bronze partners include Alexion, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, and GSK. Strategic alliances with regional rheumatology societies (NCRS, SCRS) and advocacy partners (Arthritis Foundation, Cleveland Clinic for CME) round out the organization's ecosystem. CRA is independently operated by its physician members with no parent company or external investment backing.

Name

California Rheumatology Alliance

Legal name

California Rheumatology Alliance

Website

https://calrheum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Professional Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGAGAF

Healthcare & Medical Congresses

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Conventions & Conferences (Business Events)

SECONDARYTHAHACAD

Medical, Scientific & Healthcare Congress Organizers

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs) & Meeting Planners

Keywords

• Rheumatology advocacy
• Physician membership
• Medical education events
• Legislative advocacy
• Professional association

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from rheumatologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other health professionals in rheumatology. Tiered pricing based on membership type (Fellow, Associate, Regular).
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Funding from pharmaceutical and healthcare company partners at various tiers (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) who sponsor events and initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

California Rheumatology Alliance is a specialty physician association that provides tiered membership services to rheumatologists and other rheumatology health professionals in California. Its core offerings include annual scientific meetings, advanced practitioner provider (APP) meetings, an annual advocacy summit in Sacramento, state legislative advocacy on prior authorization and step therapy reform, and regular legislative newsletters that keep members informed on California healthcare policy.

Product overview

California Rheumatology Alliance is a specialty physician association serving rheumatologists across California, operating as a member-focused organization rather than a software product company. The organization provides a unified suite of membership services that includes professional development programs (Annual Scientific Meetings, APP Meetings), advocacy representation for legislative issues affecting rheumatology care, and communication resources (newsletters, legislative updates). The core offerings center on member engagement through educational events and policy advocacy rather than technology products or modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CRA Membership Programs Tiered membership program for rheumatology professionals including Regular Member ($50/year for board-certified rheumatologists), Associate Member ($25/year for NPs, PAs, RNs, pharmacists, practice managers), and Fellow Member (complimentary for fellows in training). Members receive advocacy representation, educational resources, and networking opportunities.
• CRA Annual Scientific Meeting Annual medical education conference for rheumatologists featuring nationally recognized thought leaders, clinical sessions, hands-on ultrasound training, and networking opportunities. The 20th anniversary meeting was held in 2024 in San Francisco.
• Advanced Practitioner Provider (APP) Meeting Annual educational program specifically designed for rheumatology advanced practitioners including nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and registered nurses. Offers CME credits and the latest insights in rheumatology field developments.
• Advocacy in Action Summit Annual advocacy event held in Sacramento where rheumatologists and patients meet with California legislators to discuss healthcare policies affecting patient access to rheumatology care.
• State Legislative Advocacy Services Representation and advocacy on state legislative issues affecting rheumatology including coverage for biologic medications, prior authorization reform, step therapy limitations, medication adherence policies, and network adequacy standards.
• CRA Legislative Newsletters Regular newsletters providing updates on California state legislation affecting rheumatology practice, including prior authorization requirements, step therapy policies, drug coverage mandates, and healthcare policy changes.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AbbViecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner level corporate supporter. AbbVie provides pharmaceutical treatments for rheumatology conditions including ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. CRA publishes member news and resources about AbbVie products.
• UCBcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner level corporate supporter. UCB is a global pharmaceutical company focused on immunology and neurology conditions.
• Sanofi-GenzymecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner level corporate supporter. Sanofi-Genzyme develops treatments for rare diseases and immunology conditions.
• Genentech (Roche)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner level corporate supporter. Genentech develops biotechnology medications including ACTEMRA for rheumatoid arthritis. CRA publishes coverage information and patient resources for ACTEMRA.
• Johnson & JohnsoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum Partner level corporate supporter. CRA has partnered with J&J on prior authorization form implementation and hosted related webinars.
• PfizercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Partner level corporate supporter. Pfizer provides medical content and resources through the Pfizer Medical Portal. CRA publishes study recruitment announcements for Pfizer clinical trials including myositis research.
• NovartisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver Partner level corporate supporter. Novartis develops treatments for immunological and neurological conditions.
• AlexionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Partner level corporate supporter.
• AstraZenecaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Partner level corporate supporter.
• Boehringer IngelheimminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Partner level corporate supporter. CRA published news about FDA approval of Cyltezo biosimilar.
• Bristol Myers SquibbminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Partner level corporate supporter.
• GSKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Partner level corporate supporter.
• Northern California Rheumatology Society (NCRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional rheumatology society representing the majority of CRA members from Northern California. Collaborates on annual meetings and advocacy efforts.
• Southern California Rheumatology Society (SCRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional rheumatology society representing the majority of CRA members from Southern California. Co-hosts annual meetings with CRA including joint 2025, 2026, and 2027 events.
• Cleveland ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for continuing medical education events. CRA offers discounted registration to Cleveland Clinic immunology and biologics summits for dues-paying members.
• Arthritis FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatient advocacy organization partner. Collaborated on California Advocacy Summit in 2015 for biosimilars legislation.

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• American Medical Association: National professional association for physicians. Comparable operating model (membership, advocacy, CME, publications) but at national scale across all specialties; useful comparator for member-engagement and advocacy infrastructure.
• Arthritis Foundation: National patient-advocacy organization focused on arthritis and rheumatic diseases. Comparable in advocacy mission (biologics access, prior authorization, biosimilars legislation) but oriented to patients rather than rheumatologists; CRA has formally partnered with them on California advocacy summits.
• American College of Rheumatology: National professional society for rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals. Directly comparable in mission (advocacy, education, CME, member services) but operates at national scale with broader portfolio and deeper staff resources than CRA.

Regional players

• Texas Rheumatology Society: State-level rheumatology society serving Texas. Directly comparable structure (membership, state-level advocacy, annual CME meetings) but operating in a different state with different legislative priorities.
• New York State Rheumatology Society: State-level professional society for rheumatologists in New York. Directly comparable in mission and operating model, though focused on a different state's regulatory and payer environment.
• Northern California Rheumatology Society: Regional rheumatology society covering Northern California and a core strategic partner whose members constitute a majority of CRA's base. Directly comparable as a state/regional professional society focused on rheumatology.
• Florida Society of Rheumatology: State-level rheumatology professional society serving Florida. Comparable structure and advocacy focus, but operating in a different geographic market with different legislative dynamics.
• Southern California Rheumatology Society: Regional rheumatology society for Southern California and a formal co-host of joint annual meetings with CRA through at least 2027. Closely comparable mission, member base overlap, and event programming.

Direct peers

• California Medical Association: State-level professional association representing California physicians across all specialties. Comparable in operating model (membership dues, legislative advocacy in Sacramento, CME events) but serves a broader physician base rather than a single specialty.
• Coalition of State Rheumatology Societies: Coalition of state and regional rheumatology societies focused on shared advocacy and practice issues. Directly comparable to CRA as a peer-of-peers organization and a coordination body for state-level rheumatology advocacy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/calrheum
• Facebookfacebook.com/CalRheum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-rheumatology-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California Rheumatology Alliance